Hair drier



Oct. 7, 1947.

C. W. LANTER l HAIR DRIER Filed Sept. 28, 1945' j?? iwf-7M? Patente'dOct. 7, 1947 HAIR DRIER Clarence W. Lanter, Bartlett, Ill., assignor toBreuer -Electric Mfg. Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisApplication September 28, 1945, Serial No. 619,208

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hair driers and is moreparticularly concerned with apparatus of this type in which streams ofpreheated air are directed to the interior of tubular hair curlers andthence outwardly through apertures provided therein to elTect rapiddrying of hair wound around said curlers.

This invention further contemplates the provision of hair driersembodying means for directing light rays and auxiliary streams f airtoward the head of the user to aid in the hair drying operation, saidauxiliary streams of air being directed from the drier apparatus throughnozzles telescopically movable for controlling the flow of airtherethrough.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a hair dryingapparatus embodying an adjustable head for projecting light rays andauX- iliary air streams, said head having a reflector for projecting thelight rays and also serving as a baille for directing a stream of airpast an electric lamp for the purpose of absorbing heat therefrom.However, it is contemplated that additional air heating means may beprovided in addition to the electric lamp.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a hair drier havinga head mounted upon a tubular pedestal provided With a base portion forenclosing a 'motor driven blower unit employed for directing airupwardly through the pedestal and thence outwardly therefrom for dryinghair. The air inlet passage leading to said blower unit preferablyextends from the side of the pedestal and thence downwardly aroundand/or through an electric motor employed to drive the blower for thepurpose of preheating the inflowing air and for cooling the motor. Bydisposing the air inlet end 0f said passage in the side of the pedestaland in spaced relation to the base thereof, the inflowing air stream ismaintained relatively free of dirt o-r other foreign material.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of constructionand arrangements of parts which are hereinafter set forth in thespecication and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawingwherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the head portion of a hair drierembodying features of this invention.

Fig, 2 is a sectional view showing the base po-rtion of the hair drierand the means provided for directing a stream of air upwardly toward thehead portion.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along `the line 3-3 of'Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view showing the auxiliary air nozzleconstruction.

Referring now to the drawing for a betterunderstanding of thisinvention, the hair drier is shown as comprising a head I I having aballshaped back wall I2 for adjustable air tight positioning in anadapter I3. The back wall I2 is slotted at I5 to receive a'pair ofadjustment bolts I4 mounted in bolt brackets I 6 secured to the adapterI3. lThe threaded ends of the bolts I4 are provided lwith compressionsprings I1 `and nuts vIll for maintaining the wall I2 of the head in airtight engagement with the circular opening I9 provided in the adapterI3. A lamp socket 2| is mounted on the wall I2 to receive a lamp 22, andsuitable lead Wires 23 extend from the socket 2| to a switch 24connected to a suitable source of current by means of leads 25. A lens21 is mounted on the front of the head II by means of an annular rim 28demountably connected to the back wall I2. An annular gasket 2'9 isprovided between the lens 21 and the inwardly projecting ange of the rim28 to prevent leakage of air from the head I I ai; this point.

A reflector 3| is secured t0 the inner face of the Wall I2 for directinglight rays from the lamp 22 outwardly through the lens 21. The back wallI2 is provided with a plurality of air inlet openings 32 for the passageof air into Aa chamber 33 deiined by the wall I2 and the reector 3|. Theair from the chamber 33 is directed through an opening 34 provided inthe upper end of the reector 3| and thence downwardly around theelectric lamp 22 for the purpose of absorbing heat therefrom.

A plurality of flexible conduits 36 lea-d from the lower portion oi thehead II for connection with a plurality of tubular hair curling members31 provided with apertures 38, A plurality of auxiliary air nozzles 32,preferably formed of rubber, are telescopically mounted in housingmembers 4| to direct streams of air from the head II toward the hair ofthe customer. The nozzles 39 are formed with ball-shaped portions 42which permit angular adjustment of the nozzles when same are drawnoutwardly to their hair drying positions. The housing members 4| areprovided with air inlet openings 43 intermediate their ends. The flowvof air through each nozzle 33 may be stopped by moving same inwardlyuntil the ball-shaped portion 42 engages the inner end of its housing 4|The adapter I3 is provided with a tubular portion 46 for telescopicadjustable engagement within a tubular pedestal 41 by means of a lockingscrew 48. The lower end of the pedestal 41 terminates in an enlargedhollow base portion 49 to receive a blower unit comprising an electricmotor 5| and a centrifugal fan 52. The motor 5l is enclosed andsupported within an air conduit 53 which leads downwardly from a grilledopening 54 formed in the side wall of the pedestal 41. The air conduit53 terminates at a circular partition wall 56 provided with air ports 51through which the air passes into the fan chamber 58 dened by thepartition 56 and a partition 59. The stream of air passes through thefan chamber 58 and is forced upwardly through the interior of thepedestal 41, and thence through the apertures 32 into the chamber 33 ofthe head Il. The air stream then passes from the chamber 33 through theopening 34 for movement past the electric lamp 22 to be heated thereby.After the air is heated, it is directed through the flexible conduits 35and the apertures 33 of the hair curlers 35 for drying hair woundthereupon. If desired, the air nozzles 33 may be moved to their forwardposition7 as indicated in Figs, 1 and 4, to permit streams of air toflow through the ports 43 and nozzles 39 toward the head of thecustomer.

The grilled openings 54 areA preferably disposed in the side wall of thepedestal 41, and at a substantial distance upwardly from the base 49, toreduce the amount of dirt or other foreign material drawn therethroughinto the air conduit 53. In order to further reduce the amount of dirtor foreign material in the air stream passing into the conduit 53, it isdesirable to provide a suitable air filter 5i adjacent the air inlet forremoving such dirt and foreign material from the air stream. It will benoted that the head I I may be manually pivoted in a vertical plane forproperly directing light and/or heat rays and auxiliary air streamstoward the head of the user. The hair drier is als@ provided withcasters 62 to facilitate movement of the drier. The electric motor 5Imay also be connected to a source of current leading through andcontrolled by the switch 24 for operating the light 22 and/or the motor.

While this invention has been shown in but one form, it is obvious tothose skilled in the' art that it is not so limited but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications without departing from the spiritand scope of the claimed invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a hair drier, a tubular pedestal having an enlarged base portion,a head supported upon said pedestal, means providing communicationbetween said pedestal and said head for circulation of air, saidpedestal having an air inlet formed in the side thereof, an air conduiteX- tending downwardly from said air inlet, a plurality of air tubesleading from said head for engagement with apertured hair curlingmembers, a blower unit positioned within the base portion of saidipedestal for drawing a stream of air downwardly through said airconduit and thence for moving said stream of air upwardly through saidpedestal and outwardly through said air tubes, electrical air heatingmeans disposed in said head, said electrical air heating means inpludingan electric lamp disposed in the path of the air stream, a reflector forsaid lamp serving as a partition for directing a stream of air aroundSaid lamp, and a lens provided on the face of said head for the passageof light rays from said electric lamp.

2. In a hair drier, a tubular pedestal having an enlarged base portion,a head supported upon said pedestal, means providing communicationbetween said pedestal and said head for circulation of air, saidpedestal having an air inlet formed in the side thereof, an air conduitextending downwardly from said air inlet, a plurality of air tubesleading from said head for engagement with apertured hair curlingmembers, a blower unit positioned within the base portion of saidpedestal for drawing a stream of air downwardly through said air conduitand thence for moving said stream of air upwardly through said pedestaland outwardly through said air tulbes, electrical air heating meansdisposed in said head, said electrical air heating means including anelectric lamp disposed in the path of the air stream, a reflector forsaid lamp serving as a partition for directing a stream of air aroundsaid lamp, a lens provided on the face of said head for the passage oflight rays from said electric lamp, and auxiliary air nozzles mounted onthe face of said head to direct streams of air toward the head of theuser.

3. In a hair drier, a tubular pedestal having an enlarged base portion,a head supported upon said pedestal, means providing communicationbetween said pedestal and said head for circulation of air, saidpedestal having an air inlet formed in the side thereof, an air conduitei;- tending downwardly from said air inlet, a plurality of air tubesleading from said head for engagement with apertured hair curlingmembers, a blower unit positioned within the base portion of saidpedestal for drawing a streamof air downwardly thro-ugh said air conduitand thence for moving said stream of air upwardly through said pedestaland outwardly through said air tubes, electrical air heating meansdisposed in said head, said electrical air heating means including anelectric lamp disposed in the path of the air stream, a reflector forsaid lamp serving as a partition for directing a stream of air aroundsaid lamp, a lens provided on the of said head for the passage of lightrays from said electric lamp, auxiliary air nozzles mounted in the faceof said head to direct streams of air toward the head of the user,casings mounted on said head to enclose they inner ends of said nozzles,said nozzles having port openings, and means provided on the inner endsof said nozzles t0 move into and out of registry with said casing portopenings to control the flow of air through said nozzles.

4. n a hair drier, a tubular pedestal having an enlarged base portion,said pedestal having an air inlet formed in the side thereof, an airconduit extending downwardly through said pedestal from said air inlet,an adapter having a tubular neck for telescopic engagement in .saidpedestal, said adapter having an enlarged opening formed therein, a headpositioned in the opening formed in said adapter, means providingcommunication between said pedestal and said head for circulation ofair, a plurality of air tubes leading from said head for engagement withapertured hair curling members, a blower unit positioned within the'base portion of said pedestal for drawing a stream of air downwardlythrough said air conduit and thence for moving said stream of airupwardly through said pedestal and outwardly through said air tubes,electrical air heating means disposed in said head, said elecface tricalair heating means including an electric lamp disposed in the path of theair stream, a reilector for said lamp serving as a partition fordirecting a stream of air around said lamp, and a lens provided on theface of said head for the passage of light rays from said electric lamp.

5. In a hair drier, a tubular pedestal having an enlarged Ioase portion,said pedestal having an air inlet formed in the side thereof, an airconduit extending downwardly through said pedestal from said air inlet,an adapter having a tubular neck for telescopic engagement in saidpedestal, said adapter having an enlarged opening formed therein, a headpositioned in the opening formed in said adapter, means providingcommunication between said pedestal and said head for circulation ofair, a plurality oi air tubes leading from said head for engagement withapertured hair curling members, a blower unit positioned within the baseportion of said pedestal for drawing a stream of air downwardly throughsaid air conduit and thence for moving said stream of air upwardlythrough said pedestal and outwardly through said air tubes, electricalair heating means disposed in said head, said electrical air heatingmeans including an electric lamp disposed in the path or the air stream,a reflector for said lamp serving as a partition for directing a streamof air around said lamp, a lens provided on the falce of said head forthe passage of light rays from said electric lamp, and auxiliary airnozzles mounted on the face of said head to direct streams of air towardthe head of the user.

6. In a hair drier, a tubular pedestal having an enlarged rbase portion,said pedestal having an air inlet formed in the side thereof, an airconduit extending downwardly through said pedestal from said air inlet,an adapter having a tubular neck for telescopic engagement in saidpedestal, said adapter having an enlarged opening formed therein, a headpositioned in the opening formed in said adapter, means providingcommunication between said pedestal and said head for circulation ofair, a plurality of air tuibes leading from said head for engagementwith apertured hair curling members, a blower unit positioned within thebase portion of said pedestal for drawing a stream of air downwardlythrough said air conduit and thence for moving said stream of airupwardly through said pedestal and outwardly through said air tubes,electrical air heating means disposed in said head, said electrical airheating means including an electric lamp disposed in the path of the airstream, a reilector for said lamp serving as a partition for directing astream of air around said lamp, a lens provided on the face of said headfor the passage of light rays from said electric lamp, auxiliary airnozzles mounted in the face of said head to direct streams of air towardthe head of the user, casings mounted on said head to enclose the innerends of said nozzles, said nozzles having port openings, and meansprovided on the inner ends of said nozzles to move into and out ofregistry with said casing port openings t0 control the flow of airthrough said nozzles,

7. In a hair drier, a tubular pedestal having an enlarged base portion,said pedestal having an air inlet formed in the side thereof, an aii`conduit extending downwardly through said pedestal from said air inlet,an adapter having a tubular neck for telescopic engagement in saidpedestal, said adapter having an enlarged opening formed therein, a headpositioned in the opening formed in said adapter, means providingcommunication between said pedestal and said head for circulation ofair, a plurality of air tubes leading from said head for engagement withapertured hair curling members, a blower unit positioned within the baseportion of said pedestal for drawing a stream of air downwardly throughsaid air conduit and thence for moving said stream of air upwardlythrough said pedestal and outwardly through said airtubes, electricalair heating means disposed in said head, said electrical air heatingmeans including an electric lamp disposed in the path of the air stream,a reflector for said lamp serving as a partition for directing a streamof air around said lamp, a lens provided on the face of said head forthe passage of light rays from said electric lamp, auxiliary air nozzlesmounted in the face of said head to direct streams of air toward thehead of the user, casings mounted on said head to enclose the inner endsof said nozzles, said nozzles having port openings, and means providedon the inner ends of said nozzles to move into and out of registry withsaid casing port openings to control the flow of air through saidnozzles.

CLARENCE W. LANTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,201,229 Gross May 21, 19402,290,259 Vose July 21, 1942 2,076,040 Norquist Apr. 6, 1937 1,639,753Shelton Aug. 23, 1927 2,188,924 Rockwood Feb. 6, 1940 2,189,430 McClure1 Feb. 6, 1940 2,050,111 McKelVey Aug. 4, 1936 1,794,860 Meyer Mar. 3,1931

